New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski watches a game between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at TD Garden. / Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

by Chris Strauss, USA TODAY Sports

by Chris Strauss, USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots tight end appeared on several ESPN shows Wednesday to discuss his rehab from a broken arm and the perception that his offseason partying could have put his recovery in jeopardy.

Gronk stopped by "Mike and Mike in the Morning" before moving on to the televised waterboarding equivalent that is "First Take," where he was interrogated by Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless on his work ethic and whether the Patriots would have won a Super Bowl in the past two postseasons had he remained healthy.

"In my eyes, when it's something in Vegas or it's something that's off the field, I look at you and I say that you've got to appreciate the fact that you need to take care of yourself because a legitimate argument could be made that your injuries cost the New England Patriots at least one Super Bowl in the last two years," Smith barked.

Gronkowski's response?

"People don't see what's going on off the field right after practice, just chilling at the house, always taking care of my body," he said. "If anybody has a case of me not working hard, I would like them to bring that to me. I'm in that weight room all the time, out on the practice field, going full speed. I've basically only got one speed and that's full speed. In the weight room, on the practice field, whatever it is."

"I know what you're saying," he says later in the interview when asked about a video of him wrestling shirtless in Vegas club in February while wearing a cast. "That's right after the season. You're taking off some stress and finally with some family and friends. At any other time I'm taking care of my body full speed at all times. I can't wait to get back into the weight room and go 100 percent. I'm itching. I haven't worked out in like, 16 weeks. I'm just fiending to get cleared so I can go right into that weight room and start tearing it up."

Asked about criticism from fans about his partying, he issued a slight mea culpa earlier in the morning on "Mike and Mike."

"They're looking out for & they're big fans of the Patriots and they just want to see the team do well. I totally understand where the fans are coming [from], where they don't want [me] to put myself in jeopardy of getting hurt. I totally understand that. I would never do that, put myself in jeopardy"

"To the max, I love going out there every week and performing to the best of my ability, and I love going out there playing. I understand where they are coming from. They just don't want to see me hurt again. That's totally understandable."

Gronkowski's first media appearances since the Super Bowl came a week after head coach Bill Belichick issued a terse "Let's stick to football questions" following a long pause when asked if he had seen the videos of his star tight end's dancewrestling moves.

"People just take it to extremes some times too just cause they saw I was out three times," he told Bayless. "Wow. Who doesn't go out? Like, for real. I just happened to be with my brothers and got a little crazy."